How to pronounce forty
Say it like FOR-tee. Forty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce forty. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOR
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Forty pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of forty
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FAW-tee.
What does forty mean?
- being ten more than thirty
- the cardinal number that is the product of ten and four
Where does forty come from?
From Middle English fourty, forty, from Old English fēowertiġ, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *fedwōr tigiwiz (“forty”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- xl
Words that rhyme with forty
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of forty.
Questions about saying forty
How do you pronounce forty?
Say FOR-tee. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɔrti/. In British English it is /ˈfɔːti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in forty?
Forty has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOR). Broken into parts: FOR · tee.
Is forty pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈfɔːti/ (FAW-tee).